My greatest strength is my ability to look at your background, strengths, experience, where you will be interviewing, and the position and provide model answers that successfully engages the interviewer.

It is often so difficult to tell a compelling story or identify the strengths we offer. My coaching dives right to the core of what each client uniquely can contribute and provides an approach to connect with any interviewer.

The reality of the job market is that it isn’t necessarily the most qualified person who gets the job, but the person who has most effectively shown how he/she is the perfect fit for a position.

Interview coaching at The Trusted Coach focuses on developing well thought out stories about how you have the ability to do the job but also how you would fit in and thrive in the organization’s culture. During the interview coaching process, we’ll focus on crafting compelling and memorable stories that highlight the contribution you can make and value you’ll bring to an organization. Practice questions will revolve around brainstorming your message and developing a technique to confidently answer even the toughest questions. The coaching will also address ideal questions to ask, how to effectively prepare, and how to successfully show you have a passion for the work and are an ideal fit.

I have worked with thousands of clients in a variety of roles and industries, including technology, finance, law, marketing, education, human resources, project management, product management, program management, learning & development, aerospace, communications as well as many others. Clients include seasoned professionals, new graduates, those early in their career, international students, and soon to be graduates.

Creating Compelling Stories

By the end of our work, you will have an excellent response to “tell me about yourself” and be able to confidently, yet succinctly convey how you can contribute to an organization.

I will provide a model answer for the specific company you are applying for and show you a method to successfully answer the ‘why us’ question that can apply to almost every company.

I will teach you a technique to answer the ‘why this position’ question with a focus on incorporating the key requirements of the position with your background.

I will provide guidance on how to successfully answer the ‘why do you want to leave your current position’ question.

We will work through how to effectively answer the ‘greatest weakness’ question.

How can you honestly answer the where you see yourself in five years question?

I will explain techniques and provide model answers based on YOUR experience on how to create DRAMA in your story telling. An interviewer will speak with many candidates, so stories need to be as memorable as possible.

We will work through the most common and difficult behavioral questions with a focus on how to tell a story that flows naturally, is organized, highlights key experiences, and effectively utilizes the STAR method.

I will coach you on how to effectively incorporate the job description, company, and the interviewer into some of your answers.

I will teach you a technique on how to tease the next question where appropriate.

We will practice how to SHOW and not just TELL the interviewer about your strengths and key experiences.

Establishing Rapport

Companies ultimately always make decisions based on fit and that is almost always determined in the interviews. Ability to do the job is critical, but if you’ve made it to the final round, likely everyone you’ll be competing against fits the key qualifications, so decisions will be made based on if the candidate would be a strong contributor to the team.

I will teach you a technique on how to develop rapport and turn the first portion of an interview in to a conversation.

I’ll show you how to weave specifics in to your stories so your personality shows and you can more easily create a connection.

We’ll work on how to be natural and avoid the trap of what I like to say, going in to ‘interview mode’.

Effective Preparation

I will teach you how to most effectively practice your answers so you are coming across as naturally as possible.

I’ll show you how you can develop an inventory of all your experiences which highlight how you can contribute to an organization, provide solutions, and solve problems.

I’ll coach you on techniques on how to ace the phone interview.

Questions to Ask

I will provide you with a list of five proven successful questions that you can ask the interviewer.

Cost for a 90 minute interview coaching session: $300.00. Coaching is done via video conference or can be done in-person as well if living in greater Seattle.

(I conduct all of the coaching sessions myself. Please see my Yelp reviews to get a better sense of what my clients are saying.)

“Shawn has been a perpetual advocate for my professional advancement and development, helping to facilitate and allowing me to realize opportunities through his vast expertise that I would otherwise not be aware of nor able to take advantage. Anyone with an opportunity to meet with Shawn should seize the chance as his consultation will be a catalyst for your own professional progression”

-Andrew Hughes, Attorney at Law

“I had the privilege of getting to know Shawn as a student at Seattle University School of Law. Since then, Shawn has been a constant support to me professionally. His advice and counsel has been instrumental in the launching of two businesses, and I have participated in his personality assessment as well. Shawn is, in one word, excellent. He demonstrates a deep commitment to the needs of others, integrity in his work, and sets a standard for professionalism by which others are encouraged to "up their game." I highly recommend working with Shawn!”